Taken the plunge. Have been looking at all the angles for the last 3-4 months to do up my EA Ghia. Have spent all the money on just about everything over the last 3-4 years except the motor, gearbox - and exhaust system. Translated - definitely attached to the ol' girl and definitely do not want to abandon her. So the comments along those lines aren't needed - unless they are seriously high on the comic factor.

Long story short - have got my hands on a donor ED (early 94 - front end damage - motor safe though) - with 100 000 on the clock (nice and low). The plan is to replace items on the Ghia with the following from the ED - the motor, gearbox, computer, tail-shaft, diff, calipers&rotors and other minor items.

Only foreseeable downside is that I will be giving up the LSD (but a recent worsening back end 'wobble' tells me either I have very bad rear rotors or a suggested possible bent axle is possible) - and having to play around with getting speedos and trip computers right.

If anyone else can see any problems (besides a lot of work) - feel free to offer advice. Though not out of my depth - reassurance I am doing the right thing would be handy :).

Also dropping in a 2.5" exhaust system, extractors, improved air intake and the much talked about off the shelf cam from Crow. Just fyi in case people were wondering what else was planned.

That raises a question - I have spent the last 3-4 on and off in the US where a lot of people gut their cats (not the 4 legged variety) - any stories of people doing that here is Oz??? Not definitely going to do it - just thinking about it 5%

If its a Series 2 there wouldnt be much point in swapping the Auto, cause they are basically the same. Keep it for when the current one dies. Same goes for the rotors and calipers, unless yours are rooted.

I try to find out where that back end wobble is coming from before swapping stuff like diffs and driveshafts when it could be just an out of balance wheel.....

And leave the Cats alone, the environment is bad enough already, and youd be lucky to gain 5kw anyway(if the cat is in good working order) And without them they can make the car sound like **** too...

As for going the other way - EA ghia into the ED - front right side as you are looking at the car. Strut tower area is right in and up against the plenum and so forth. Radiator area, lights and everything in that area are completely gone or definitely not salvagable. Translated - if I had a front cut - yes. Without it - big probs.

Good idea though if it was possible - the extra body rigidty of the ED over the EA would be a nice bonus.

As for the other post - it is a Series 1 - so it is the ol mechanical 3 speed. Even with the 2.77 diff - she rides along at around 2700 - 2800 revs (far too high) on the highway at 115 to 120 clicks; one of the big reason for changing the box. Looked at a T5 to drop in - but more trouble that it is worth - unless I could find it on the donor car. Not impossible but hard. Other big reason for the change is I have 350 thou on the EA - only 100 thou on the ED.

Yes - need to do the rotors and so forth - need a regrind at best; at that age they may be getting a little low. Will keep the calipers in reserve though come to think of it.

As for the cats - good to see the feedback on this. I was suprised at the guys who do it in the US, and was really just throwing it out there. Glad to see people replying to this are not vandals. Haven't heard anyone doing it here (as in physically hear the exhaust note) - so to hear from one of you that it sounds like sh.. helps also.

As for the rear end and other probs - Springs and shocks are under 2 years old. Brake pads were done 12 months ago and a few other things like urethane bushes on most things. The tyres are less than 2 months old as well (225/60's). So the only thing I had left on the list for the rear end was the rotors needed machining or the dreaded fact the axle had started to go - know two others in the last couple of years who had this problem.

Speaking of the diff - seeing as I drive a lot of highway clicks - would the 2.77 diff setting still be okay with the 4spd slush-box - or would it really be that slow?? Remember, I ain't looking for a "straight line tyre chewer" - just something with a bit of poke, nice exhaust note - and big long legs on the highway. Legs on the highway is very important :).

Thanks for the info on the carrier for the LSD as well - like most things - something that hadn't cossed my mind. Anyone with experince on doing this??

Thanks for the advice one and all - got 'worried' when the first one I saw was the signature that said something about the "size of a man is the size of his toys" or something like that. I thought great - here I go getting beaten up by the guys with 8 cans instead of me with 6 .

Later good people - anyone with any foreseeable problems for me to avoid or overcome - feel free to add.

Thanks for the heads up. As for the factory manual - bought it 2 months after getting the car - best damn 100 odd bucks I have spent.

Except for the cheap b.......s - I used someone else's manual for a week or so - it was everything in the one volume. I go and by the manaul as the two seperate volumes - it was wrapped in a plastic package. When I open it at home - it says there is a seperate third volume which has all gearbox info (manual and auto) and two other sections which escape me now.

Useless trivia - but cheap arse mothers....... :).

Thanks for the heads up on the smart-lock. I had better put the ol' thinking cap on with regards to this - any suggestions what I should be looking out for with the smartlock system before I start reading??

Using the Ghia dash. This is one area I know I will be having to play around with maybe. Plus there is the trip computer as well.

Funny that - someone broke into my EA Ghia back in January and stole the EA trip computer among other things. The insurance company couldn't find an EA trip computer to replace it - so they got me a far better looking black ED trip computer.

Useless trivia......

I am using the EA ghia dash.

As for radio and so on - all of the original stereo and wiring loom is no longer there. A few aftermarket units are in its place :).

Thanks mate - any advice regarding the dash?? I know my potential problem areas are the CPU and possibly the dash - advice in these area would be handy.

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